An Alchemist's Path to Eternity

”The Huangting lies above, Guanyuan below, Youque is behind, and in front lies Mingmen[1]. The breath flows from the head into the dantian, while water from the Jade Pool nourishes the spirit roots. Cultivate in this manner, and one may attain immortality.”

Luo Chen murmured to himself as countless thoughts flowed through his mind.

According to this theory, spirit roots were not completely mysterious and intangible. Instead, they corresponded to several specific locations within the body. The root of the tongue held the upper spirit root, while the dantian housed the middle spirit root. That explained why those born with petrified dantians were incapable of cultivation. As for the lower spirit root, it resided within the testicles or the womb. That, in turn, explained why cultivators were required to preserve their primal yin and primal yang before reaching Foundation Establishment. In doing so, they were preserving the vitality of their spirit roots.

These theories did not arise from nowhere. They were rooted in Luo Chen’s own experiences during Foundation Establishment, experiences that had only become clearer as his cultivation advanced and his understanding of the human body deepened. He also recalled the disciple recruitment ceremonies held by the Luo Tian Sect during its early years. As the founder, he had personally overseen many of the formations used to test spirit root aptitude, so he understood their workings better than most. Although the techniques varied, the underlying principles were largely to guide spirit energy into three specific locations within the body: the root of the tongue, the dantian, and the testicles or the womb.

By the time his thoughts reached that point, Luo Chen became even more convinced that spirit roots were not nearly as mysterious as cultivators believed. If spirit roots truly followed a certain underlying principle, then creating spirit roots where none existed ceased to be an impossible fantasy and became a problem that could be approached systematically.

Strengthening those three locations and increasing their affinity with the natural spirit energy was one part of the solution. More importantly, a mortal needed a medium capable of sensing and absorbing spirit energy in the first place.

Luo Chen thus named his new pill concept the Spirit Root Pill. In his view, if something did not exist, then it simply did not exist. A pill could not truly create spirit roots from nothing. Thus, rather than somehow summoning spirit roots out of thin air, the Spirit Root Pill itself would serve as a substitute. After being consumed, it would not dissolve and release its medicinal effects like an ordinary pill. Instead, it would remain within the body for an extended period, continuously helping the user sense and absorb the natural spirit energy. In essence, the pill itself would become a spirit root.

With the theoretical framework finally established, Luo Chen could at last begin selecting a primary ingredient with a clear direction in mind. The requirement was simple. Whatever ingredient he chose needed a natural affinity for spirit energy and the ability to sense and respond to it on its own.

”The inner cores of demonic beasts, Primordial Origin Grass, and heaven-and-earth root. All three possess such properties.”

Looking at the bamboo scrolls recording these three ingredients, he gradually sank into thought. Then his eyes suddenly narrowed. ”Hm? Why’s this different...”

Luo Chen picked up the bamboo scroll that recorded information about demon cores and sent a wisp of true fire sweeping across its surface. The ancient yellow material glimmered before turning a lighter, scorched hue. Faintly, traces of aura that felt like the sea lingered around it. Seeing this, Luo Chen’s expression changed slightly.

”This bamboo scroll isn’t the same as the others.”

Before this discovery, he had regarded demon cores as an excellent candidate for the Spirit Root Pill’s primary ingredient. The idea had come from Initiates who failed to condense a true Golden Core and instead used demon cores to form Pseudo-Cores, becoming what the cultivation world called Pseudo-Adepts. Demonic beast inner cores were inherently excellent medicinal ingredients, so finding such information recorded on a bamboo scroll seemed perfectly reasonable. Although there were no demonic beasts within the Alchemy Realm, Luo Chen had quite a few demon cores stored in his storage pouch. If he truly wished to use them to refine a Spirit Root Pill, he had more than enough.

But now, it was obvious that this bamboo scroll had been deliberately left behind by someone else to mislead later entrants. Had it not been for his earlier experience with Liang Baizao and that counterfeit book, he might never have thought to question its authenticity.

”Which shameless bastard did this?”

Luo Chen cursed under his breath, all traces of scholarly composure gone. He could hardly be blamed for being angry. If he had truly chosen demon cores as the foundation of the Spirit Root Pill, then regardless of whether the approach ultimately worked, it would have had nothing to do with Heaven Refiner’s intended trial. Even worse, he could have wasted years pursuing an entirely wrong direction.

”Was it that person who entered before me?”

Muttering to himself, he sent out azure flames from his palm and reduced the fake scroll to ash. Only after venting some of his frustration did he gradually calm down and turn his attention to the two remaining candidates: Primordial Origin Grass and heaven-and-earth root. He did not need to consider much for the latter, since he was already quite familiar with the root and he knew it was perfectly suitable for the task. As for Primordial Origin Grass, it was a medicinal herb he had never encountered before. It grew in regions where spirit energy was chaotic, and there were even rumors that it could absorb the primal qi of heaven and earth.

Luo Chen suddenly recalled a conversation he had once had with Han Zhan regarding the difference between spirit energy and primal qi. According to Han Zhan, once an Ascendant began touching upon the Power of Laws, they could use those Laws to absorb the primal qi directly for cultivation. It was difficult to compare the two directly, but while spirit energy was not always present, primal qi existed everywhere. Because of this, environmental and terrain restrictions largely ceased to matter after reaching the Divine Transformation Realm. Unless they entered a truly extreme location, Ascendants could draw upon primal qi anywhere.

After finishing the scroll, Luo Chen shook his head. ”This Primordial Origin Grass is a little too high-level.”

The Spirit Root Pill was intended for mortals who possessed no cultivation whatsoever. No matter how extraordinary its effects needed to be, its foundation could not be excessively high-level. Primordial Origin Grass clearly exceeded that requirement. By comparison, heaven-and-earth root was much more suitable. This herb possessed astonishing adaptability. At the lower end, it could assist Qi Refinement cultivators in breaking through to Foundation Establishment. At the higher end, it could even aid Adepts in their attempts to reach the Nascent Soul Realm. It was a herb that possessed no fixed grade and no upper limit to its potential.

Thus, after careful consideration, Luo Chen finally settled on the heaven-and-earth root.

”Woah... Could this be fate at work?”

A trace of nostalgia suddenly appeared in his eyes. The first time he had heard of this root was when he had still been a Qi Refinement cultivator struggling at the bottom of the cultivation world. Later, he had obtained one after killing the Duan family’s grand elder. Even after entering the Alchemy Realm, the first spirit medicine he had personally harvested was also this very root. Now, after all this time, the primary ingredient for the Spirit Root Pill had once again become the same thing.

For a moment, Luo Chen simply stared at the scroll in silence. Then he pressed his lips together, took out writing supplies from his storage ring, and began writing.

The root has pure medicinal properties, but its attributes are incredibly diverse. For a mortal, it opens up countless possibilities... Since this pill will remain in the body for a long time, the auxiliary ingredients need to be able to temper the root’s potency and preserve its ability to absorb natural spirit energy. Nightfeather Flower and Purple Sovereign Leaf should be the best choices. As for Woodbrocade Cotton, its qi-guiding properties make it a viable alternative...

Seven full days passed before Luo Chen finally set down the brush. The formula before him was complicated, sprawling, and filled with imprecise measurements. Strictly speaking, it could not yet be called a formula. At best, it was a rough framework supported by theory and speculation.

Then, for the first time in more than half a year, he finally stepped out of the stone house. The bright sunlight poured down upon him, forcing him to squint slightly.

He stood quietly for a moment before exhaling a long breath. Then he slung a basket over his back, picked up a hoe, and flew toward the region of three mountains and five lakes. The next steps were gathering herbs, processing medicinal materials, and attempting to refine the Spirit Root Pill.

Looking back, Luo Chen felt that his progress had been remarkably smooth. In just over half a year, he had gone from knowing nothing to establishing the initial framework of an entirely new alchemical formula. From this point onward, the path was clear. He only needed to continue experimenting, comparing results, selecting the most suitable ingredients, and refining the formula step by step. With each attempt, he would move a little closer to success.

***

At the same time, elsewhere within the Alchemy Realm, a woman slowly lifted her head from a desk inside a stone house identical to Luo Chen’s. Her appearance was unremarkable, the sort that would vanish into a crowd without drawing a second glance. Yet her eyes were impossible to ignore. Her brows were broad; her eyes were long and narrow, and her pupils were shaped like stars. At this moment, these strange pupils were flickering with surprise. ”My bamboo scroll was destroyed? Has someone else chosen this path as well?”

The surprise quickly faded, replaced by contemplation. She knew better than anyone what had been hidden within that scroll. Anyone capable of discovering the deception and destroying it could not be an ordinary cultivator. Such a person might still be trapped within the first trial, but someone with that level of insight would not remain there for long.

”Maybe I should speed things up. I can’t keep working this cautiously.”

1. Reminder: these are all cultivation nodes. Huanting (黄庭) is associated with the dantian and spirit; Guanyuan (关元) is a major reservoir of reproductive energy and life force; Mingmen (命门) is linked to the source of yang qi, while Youque (幽阙) represents inner stillness. ☜